( the year end angus reid premier approval ratings are out and to no ones surprise Wynne is last again down to only 16 % approval , whats also interesting is all the premiers who supported trudeau's climate plan are below 40% , the level I'd say is likely needed to get re-elected , meaning we could see a whole bunch of new premiers get elected in the future )

December 13, 2016 – Beleaguered by the fallout of her government’s sale of Hydro One and under pressure from the Ontario auditor general for not spending the proceeds of that sale in the most effective way possible – Premier Kathleen Wynne’s job performance approval among Ontarians has dropped to 16 per cent.

This represents an all-time low based on same-source data tracked by the Angus Reid Institute since her February 2013 swearing-in as premier, and a four-point drop since September, largely driven by a deeply unpopular decision to sell the provincial utility. This move has prompted a lawsuit from the Canadian Union of Public Employees seeking to stop the sale of more shares. The Ontario Liberal government, in turn, contends that share sales will pay down the province’s massive deficit.

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Wynne remains – for another quarter – Canada’s least-approved-of premier, but it is Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil who experiences the largest drop in job approval over the past three months: from 38 to 31 per cent. Much of this is attributable to an ongoing labour dispute with teachers and a controversial decision by the government to close schools on Monday, Dec. 5, after the Nova Scotia Teachers Union directed teachers and staff to operate under a work-to-rule protocol.

Among premiers with a greater share of confidence from their constituents when it comes to the job they are doing? Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall and Manitoba’s Brian Pallister. Wall has the approval of nearly six-in-ten people in his province (58%). This measure is statistically unchanged from last quarter. Wall – who has opposed the federal government’s plans to impose a tax on carbon emissions out of fears such a tax will damage the Saskatchewan economy, remains the most popular premier in the country.

More people also approve than disapprove of the job Pallister is doing. The Manitoba premier is down three points to 50 per cent since the last quarter, but still ahead of where he was when he took office in the spring (46%).

Though his approval levels lag far behind his colleagues on the prairies, New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant also sees a five-point uptick in approval, to just under three-in-ten (29%). He recently expressed concern about the impact of a Donald Trump administration on his province, which relies on the US for 92 per cent of exports. Gallant also enters 2017 with the Energy East pipeline project in mind. If approved, the project would one day bring oil through Quebec to a terminus point in Saint John.

That said, as 2016 draws to a close, most premiers find their approval ratings relatively stable as somewhat cynical provincial electorates leave neither candy nor coal in the stockings of their provincial leaders.

In British Columbia, Premier Christy Clark finds herself Canada’s third-most popular premier – albeit a distant third. With fewer than six months to a provincial election in May 2017, the political stakes begin to be raised on such high-profile issues as Kinder Morgan’s TransMountain pipeline twinning and an opioid crisis that is raising alarm and taking lives on the West Coast. Clark maintains the approval of just over one-in-three (35%) people in BC, statistically unchanged since September (34%).

One province over, Alberta’s Rachel Notley sees her job performance also unchanged at about one-in-three (31%). While the B.C. electorate is more volatile and in some regions vociferously opposed to the pipeline project, recent federal approval for TransMountain’s twinning may ultimately act as a boon for Notley, as she continues to be plagued politically by grave economic woes in her province and a unite-the-right movement that appears to be gaining steam.

In Quebec – the provincial Liberals recently saw their party’s overall share of the popular vote drop in four by-elections with less than a year until general elections in that province next fall. But overall, the results of these votes will have little impact on the makeup of its legislature. Not much has changed for Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard either. His job performance approval remains essentially unchanged – up two points from September (30%).

Finally, Dwight Ball’s approval remains static. Ball, who has said his biggest regret the past year was having to break promises, sees his approval numbers continue to stall. Next to Wynne, Ball is the second least-approved-of provincial premier in Canada, garnering the support of just one-in-five (20%) Newfoundland and Labrador residents. The overdue and over-budget Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project – one that Ball says has put “undue financial strain on our province in a very difficult time” – has added to problems brought by some of the highest levels of unemployment (14.3%) in the country.

( both Clark and Mcneil are likely facing elections this year with ok numbers but not high enough to guarantee re-election at least not with a majority

it also doesn't appear any of these premiers numbers were boosted by supporting trudeau's carbon tax plan , as the 2 who opposed it are the one's highest in the poll and most popular , think trudeau is going to find the leaders around the table at premiers meeting becoming less liberal in the future , some of these liberal premiers are not going to get re-elected and be replaced with other parties , I just can't see the liberal dominance in province politics continuing with approval numbers all hovering around 30% or lower that isn't enough to get back in

somehow I still have a hard time believing the Ontario liberals are really going to stick with Wynne for another year and into a general election ? it seems like she is headed for near certain defeat , I personally have a hard time believing there hasn't at least been discussions about how to replace her with someone else )

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is closing out 2016 with the lowest approval rating among provincial premiers in Canada, new data from Angus Reid show.

Wynne’s approval rating was 16 per cent in December, four points lower than her September ratings – a drop Angus Reid says was largely driven by her government’s decision to privatize Hydro One.

Credit: Angus Reid
Credit: Angus Reid

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Dwight Ball remains just above Wynne in popularity, with approval ratings of 20 per cent, just one percentage point lower than his September ratings.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil lost his third place position this quarter, dropping from 38 per cent approval in September to 31 per cent approval in December to wind up the year with the fourth-highest approval rating among the premiers.

It was the largest drop in approval ratings this quarter and largely due to the ongoing labour dispute between the government and teachers, Angus Reid says.

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall remained on top with a 58 per cent approval rating, the highest among the premiers.

Wall is followed closely by Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister, who has a 50 per cent approval rating for December, a three point drop from September.

B.C. Premier Christy Clark falls into a distant third place with an approval rating of 35 per cent — and a provincial election just six months away.

Next door, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley’s approval rating remains steady from September at 31 per cent. While Notley is facing challenges from a poorly performing economy and the province’s unite-the-right movement, the recent federal approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline could end up strengthening her popularity, Angus Reid says.

In New Brunswick, Premier Brian Gallant saw a five point increase in his approval rating to 29 per cent, while in Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard’s popularity gained 2 points, reaching 30 per cent.

McNeil's Liberals are well ahead of the other two parties in Nova Scotia at the moment.

this poll only focuses on premier " approval " ratings , I realise the Nova Scotia liberals are doing better in the polls than 31%

I wouldn't put Nova Scotia in the likely to flip category at this time , those provinces I'd say are Ontario , Alberta and maybe New Brunswick , there some of the most likely . I'd also imagine the next Newfoundland election will be very competitive after the liberals broke promises and raised just about every tax

I'd also say the next BC election is rather unpredictable , the BC liberals are at the maybe been in power too long point but none of the alternatives are especially appealing , the NDP is often seen as much worse and the BC conservatives are barely a real party , but BC is so unpredictable its unclear what will happen there

( wynne says , tough choices remain ? I think the liberals tough choice is how are they going to get rid of her before the next election )

Wynne says 'tough choices' remain as Ontario economy recovers

Premier notes that “work is changing dramatically for a lot of families.”

By Kristin RushowyQueen's Park Bureau

Tues., Dec. 13, 2016

Ontario is creating more jobs than other provinces and attracting new businesses but the economic recovery “is still uneven” including in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton, says Premier Kathleen Wynne.

“Work is changing dramatically for a lot of families,” she told a business crowd of about 300 in a speech to the Canadian Club Tuesday morning. “Jobs are being lost, and new ones created, but there are gaps. We need to provide training and retraining opportunities, and find ways to support workers and new businesses. And we all need to engage on the together, because we cannot sustain an economic recovery that isn’t more broadly shared.”

Wynne also spoke of having to make “tough choices … that point to what I am finding to be my biggest challenge as premier” – and pointed to the issue of electricity prices, an issue opposition parties have continued to hammer her government about.

“Electricity prices are the prime example that I have been wrestling with lately,” she said. Improving the system in recent years has made it more environmentally friendly and reliable, but “the cost of the changes has put a burden on people in every corner of Ontario. People have told me that they have had to choose between paying their electricity bill and buying food or paying the rent. That is unacceptable to me. And I have committed to fixing it.”

She noted that starting in January, electricity bills will be cut by eight per cent – “that makes a difference” – and that the government is also providing help to those living in rural and northern parts of the province.

“But it is not enough,” she said. “So I have committed to finding more ways to lower rates and reduce the burden on households in the weeks and months ahead.”

In her speech, Wynne also mentioned some key initiatives by her government, including 100,000 more child-care spaces, free post-secondary tuition for students from low-income families, as well as an announcement last week that pledged jobs in the trades for unemployed residents who live near the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project in Toronto.

She also made a pitch to the business crowd to bring in high school co-op students to give them job experience, or to hire workers with disabilities.

“Let's ensure that no worker, no region, no family is left behind,” she said.

her personally numbers are much worse than the Ontario liberals although there's aren't much better , think in the mid 20's at the moment

what support she still has seems to be from Toronto and a few other "urban " pockets around Ontario

Want to know what is really scary?

She'd win a Prov election if it were tomorrow.

Ugh!

she'd win Don Valley West , but seriously once you leave the 416 , the prospects for the Ontario liberals are pretty poor . when you put into account ridings already held by the opposition that they have no chance of winning and mpp's who might retire next election , there isn't a lot they could win

I don't really think the " win " in Ottawa Vanier was at all reflective of the province as a hole , its an urban pocket loaded with federal public service employees and trudeau staffers , there was little chance the liberals would lose there

Brown would have to bring back the faith based schools promise and Hudak's plan to fire public service employees for them to not make gains on the liberals at this point

Brown is an unknown entity. He can grow into his role and turn the tide.

However, as i said, if an election was tomorrow she'd get back in.

Hudak should have beat her. It was the time to win. He didnt.

Brown isnt the guy...........yet. And given the short leash of elections (not the 2 year fiasco soulth of here) he better get on it.

I agree outside of Barrie Ontario , brown is a rather unknown entity , but the polls say if an election were held today the pc's would win easily , the last forum poll had the pc's mid 40's and libs 25 % and ndp 20 % ish ,

those polls are just a glimpse in time and the mood of the votes at the present moment

he does need to get better known somehow , maybe talk radio ? more columns in the news papers ? town hall meetings ? I don't know there is ways to get out there and more visibility

he does need to get better known somehow , maybe talk radio ? more columns in the news papers ? town hall meetings ? I don't know there is ways to get out there and more visibility

There is a 'something' and I cannot put my finger on what it is that gives me pause when it comes to Brown.

He comes across too much like David Miscavage (Scientology) .

I want ( and Ont needs) a PC govt . I have always wanted a PC ON t govt. Its a great balance when the Libs lead federally.
But man...the pickings were so slim.

I follow brown on twitter and from what I've seen he is very busy and attends a lot of events , lately i've seen fundraisers , multicultural events and protests at the legislature

but one thing stands out , I don't see him "mainstreeting " with a lot of average Ontario voters , he seems to be sticking to friendly crowds or places he was invited to attend , the pc's need to realise there trying to become "Ontario's government " and that involves representing all of the province and can't stick to the friendly crowds forever , sometimes have to get more out there and such ,

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